> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://sitegpt.ai/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Keep answers on topic

> Set what the chatbot says when it cannot answer, keep it to your topics, and limit long conversations.

Your chatbot is told to answer from your content. When your content does not have the answer, it replies with your **Fallback Message**. You can make this stricter with instructions, and you can limit how long a conversation can be.

Know these limits before you start:

* **The chatbot does not browse the internet.** It only reads your content, your instructions, and the conversation.
* **"Answer only from your content" is guidance, not a hard block.** The AI model can still use general knowledge it already has. Clear instructions reduce this. They cannot remove it fully.

## Before you start

* **Role:** Manager or higher. See [Team members](/docs/guides/account/team-members.md).
* **Plan:** any plan. The message limit per conversation needs the Growth plan or above. See [Plans and limits](/docs/reference/plans-and-limits.md).

## Set the fallback message

The fallback message is what the chatbot says when your content does not answer a question. The default is:

> I'm sorry, I don't have enough information to answer your question, but I'm happy to assist with any other questions you may have.

**1. Open the Instructions page**

Go to **Settings** > **Instructions**. You can also select **Chatbot Instructions** in your chatbot's sidebar.

**2. Write your message**

Under **Fallback Message**, type the message you want. For example, add how to contact your team.

**3. Save**

Select **Save Fallback Message**.

When the chatbot replies with the fallback message:

* The question is added to **Unanswered questions** on the **Analytics** page. This list needs the Growth plan or above.
* Follow-up suggestions are not shown under that reply.

The chatbot is told to use your fallback message as written. If it rewords the message, the question may not be added to **Unanswered questions**.

## Tell the chatbot to stay on topic

Add rules to your active instructions. See [Write instructions](/docs/guides/answers/write-instructions.md) for the steps.

These are examples. Change them to match your business.

```text Example: answer only from your content theme={null}
Answer only with information from the provided content.
If the content does not answer the question, reply with the fallback message. Do not guess.
Do not use general knowledge to fill gaps.
```

```text Example: redirect questions outside your topics theme={null}
You only help with questions about Example Company's products and orders.
If a visitor asks about anything else, say politely that you can only help with Example Company topics.
Then suggest one thing you can help with, such as our return policy.
```

```text Example: sensitive topics theme={null}
Do not give legal, medical, or financial advice.
If a visitor asks for this kind of advice, say that you cannot give it and suggest that they speak to a qualified professional.
```

Only one instruction set is active at a time. Put all your rules in the same set.

> [!NOTE]
>
> Follow-up suggestions can still show after the chatbot declines an off-topic question. To turn them off, see [Follow-up suggestions](/docs/guides/widget/follow-up-suggestions.md).

## Limit messages per conversation

A message limit stops very long conversations. When a conversation reaches the limit, the visitor must start a new conversation.

**1. Open General settings**

Go to **Settings** > **General**.

**2. Turn on the limit**

Turn on **Limit Messages Per Conversation**.

**3. Set the number**

In **Max Messages Per Conversation**, enter a number from 1 to 1000.

**4. Save**

Select **Save Changes**.

For this limit, each answer from the chatbot counts as one message. A lead form message that contains an answer also counts. Failed replies and replies from your team do not count. This is not the same as your monthly message allowance, where the visitor's message and the chatbot's reply each count. See [Plans and limits](/docs/reference/plans-and-limits.md).

When the limit is reached, the visitor sees "You've reached the maximum number of messages for this conversation." and a **Start a new conversation** button. To change this text, see [Language and text](/docs/guides/widget/language-and-text.md).

This setting follows the plan of the chatbot owner. When the owner's plan includes it, every team member who can change settings can change it. Your own plan does not count. When the owner's plan does not include it, the settings show a lock icon, and nobody on the team can change them. The limit then does not apply, also when it was turned on before. SiteGPT keeps the saved number. When the owner's plan includes the setting again, the limit applies again. See [Plans and limits](/docs/reference/plans-and-limits.md).

The limit works in the chat widget on your website, on the hosted chat page, and for visitor messages sent through API v0 and API v2. In the API, a message to a conversation at the limit fails with `429 MESSAGE_LIMIT_REACHED`, and the chatbot does not answer. To continue, start a new conversation. The limit does not apply to WhatsApp, Messenger, Slack, the other chat integrations, or email, because visitors there cannot start a new conversation. Replies from your team are never limited.

## What happens with harmful messages

SiteGPT can block messages with harmful content. You do not need to set this up.

When a message is blocked, the visitor sees:

> I'm not able to respond to that. Please try rephrasing your question.

You cannot change this text. The blocked message is left out of the context for later answers in that conversation.

## Check that it works

Open the chat button in the corner of your dashboard and start a new conversation.

1. Ask a question your content does not cover. The chatbot replies with your fallback message.
2. Ask a question outside your topics. The chatbot redirects you as your instructions say.
3. If you set a message limit, keep asking questions. After the limit, you see the limit message and the **Start a new conversation** button.


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